Robespierre | Signed manuscript copy of a message to the army on Republican victories, 1793

Maximilien Robespierre

Scribal copy of an address to the army entitled "Les Representans du Peuple composans le comité de salut public à l'Armée", signed by Robespierre,

commencing with an announcement of victory following the Battle of Wattignies ("Soldats républicains, les lâches satellites de la tyrannieont fui devant vous...."), celebrating the defeat of counter-Revolutionary rebellions, and the expulsion of the Spanish and Piedmontese from France, urging troops onward to a final victory against tyranny ("...qu'il n'y reste plusque la justice, le bonheur et la vertu..."), also signed by Lazare Carnot, Herault de Sechelles and Jacques Billaud-Varenne as members of the Comité de Salut public, dated in another hand "2 Brumaire", 2 pages, folio, [October 1793], spotting

"...L'heure fatale des tyrans sonne; et c'est par vos mains qu'ils doivent périr..."

A TRIUMPHANT COMMUNIQUE TO THE ARMY ON THE VICTORIES OF THE REPUBLIC. The Battle of Wattignies had been a crucial and hard-fought victory over the Austrian army that led the Counter-Revolutionary coalition. It forced them to abandon their plan to march on Paris and was followed by a French advance into Flanders. These events in the north were the culmination of a remarkable year of victories for the young republic, which found itself beset by enemies on all sides and faced serious internal revolts, but was accompanied by the ferocious domestic policies of the Terror.

This manuscript was evidently an authorised copy for circulation. A copy in Robespierre's hand is recorded in the catalogue of the Chambry collection. The address is correctly dated to 4 brumaire (25 October), rather than 2 brumaire as given in this copy.